Automatic tensioning apparatus for closing the parts of a clutch



Nov. 6, i923. 1,472,855

E. SCHNEIDER AUTOMATIC TENSIONING APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE PARTS OF ACLUTCH Original Filed Oct. 2.9. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,472,855 Nov-1923' E. SCHNEIDER AUTOMATIC TENSIONING APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE PARTSOF A CLQTCH Original Filed Oct. 29, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OKW I PatentedNov. 6, i923.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER, or PARIS, FRANCE, AssIenoE To SCHNEIDER & voin', 0Penis} FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FRAJ YCE.

AUTOMATIC TENSIONING APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE PARTS 0F A CLUTCH.

Original application filed October 29, 1920, Serial No. 420,525.Divided. and January 5, 1922. Serial 3T6. 527,274.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, and a resident of Paris, France, have invented new and V usefulImprovements 1n Automatic Tensioning Apparatus for Closing the Parts ofa Clutch, which invention is fully set -provide improved separatordevices for overcoming. the disadvantages; above meings. but it is to beexpressly understood that the drawings arefor purposes of illustrationonly and are IlOijitO .be taken as restrictive of the scope oftheinventiom'reference beinghad to the appended claims for that purpose.said dra-Wings l .is an elevation illustrating the inventionap'pliedtothe closing spring of a clutch; Y. 1

Fig. 2 is} section onhthe line 22 of d: 2 f i ",EEigB isa sectionalelevation of the apparatus. shown in Fig. 1.-

"Referring to the draWings, F is the driven shaft oarrying a clutch partB (of; which be embodied in a only a .portionfis shown 7diagrammatically) againstwhich bears the ends 0 of a plural-' ity ofsprings C, the tension ofwhich is to be regulated by means of theimproved ten sionmg apparatus Theopposite endsc of these springsbearagainst a movable abut ment of the improvedtensioningapparatus throughthe medium of an annular ring C The movable abutment comprises asleeve Ahaving for a portion of its length a truncated conical inner surface a,and anannulus B carrying frictional members or balls G which bearagainst the surface a and the. shaft F for normally maintaining theparts locked together and in frictional engagement with the shaft 1 Theball annulus "B and the sleeve A release the same from the shaft F,after which the sleeve A and annulus B may be moved longitudinally onthejshaft' toregulate the tension. of spring G as desired. aThe annulusB engages by means-of grooves Z) upon ribs f of the shaft F, andhasexternal ribs 72 my means of which itslides in cor responding grooves 02of the sleeve A. e The annulus B is extended on both sides ofthe sleeveA; the abutment or flange B for the separating members H beingprovidedat one of the prolongedends of the annulus, and the abutment for thespring D being provided by a washer B having screw-threaded engagementon the oppositeend of the annulus.

The separating members H are pivoted on axle pinsh carriedby a forkedlever or members bear against'spaced ringsior' Washersand Lhaving spaoed'relat1on w1th and encircling sleeve portionsof the movabutment devicesis maintained byicoacting.

slidableyokes K and L which extendfrom this application filedopposedfaces of said rings'and; separators H housed WlthlIIYOl IBS QThe ringsKand L are interconnected by springs M; which normallytend tohold-theringsaway-from V the flanged ends of sleeve A and annulus B,respectively -F designatesan annular groove of shaft in; which the ballsGensa e. a? t e. e d o the s p rating move are moved relatively to eachotherin order tooperating. member I, and saidv separating V ment betweenthe sleeve A and the ball pushing annulus B.

In operation, when it is desired to de creasethe tension of springs C,the lower end of lever I is moved toward the right, thereby rotating theseparators H about their pivots it so as to cause the noses H and H ofsaid separators to move the rings K, L apart against the tension ofsprings M. Said rings are thus engaged with the sleeve A and annulus Bwhich are moved apart, whereby releasingaction of balls Gr is effected.The abutment may then be moved to the right along shaft F until thedesired tension of springs C is obtained. The rings K and L are alwaysmaintained in concentric relation with each other and the movableabutment devices by separators H and the co actin'g slidable yokes K andL so that the pressure of friction surfaces 79, Z is equally distributedto the flange-d portions of sleeve A and annulus B. After the movableabutment has been properly positioned, the lower end of lever I is movedto the left a sufficient distance to cause sepa rators H to assume theposition shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the abutment devices will be lockedto shaft F by the action of springs C, D. Springs M disengage rings Kand L from the flanges of sleeve A and annulus B when the separators Hassume their normal position. When it is desired to increase the tensionof springs C, the lower end of lever I is moved to the left a sufiicientdistance to obtain the desired tension, ring K being thusengaged withsleeve A and these parts also moving to the left, thus releasing ballsGI Movement of sleeve A, however, in turn compresses spring D whichmoves annulus B to the left thereby locking the abutment in the desiredposition. I

It is obvious that various features of my invention may be used withoutemploying other of the features illustrated and that changes may be madein the construction and arrangement of parts of the apparatus. Suchchanges and usage are therefore intended to be Within the scope of theappended claims. p

This application is a division of my pend} ing application Serial. No.420,525, filed October 29, 1 920.

What is claimed is V I 1. In an automatic tensioning apparatus forlthespring closing means of a clutch, the

carried by the ends of said lever and interposed between said ringswhereby the latter are caused to engage the flanges of theabutmentmembers respectively on movement of said lever. y g V 2. In anautomatic tensioning apparatus for the spring closing means of a clutch,in combination, a shaft carrying a clutch part forming an abutment forone end of the spring closing means, devices adjustable longitudinallyon said shaft and providing an abutment for the other end of said springclosing means, and mechanism for moving said devices whereby the tensionof said spring closing meansmay be regulated, said mechanism comprisingrings equal in numf her to said devices and encircling the latterrespectively, and a forked lever having ter minals thereof interposedbetween said rings and causing the latter to frictionally engage theadjustable devices on movement of said lever.

3. In an automatic tens'ioning apparatus for the spring closing means ofa clutch, combination, a shaft carrying a clutch part providing anabutment for one end of the spring closing means, devices adjustable.longitudinally on said shaft and providing an abutment for the otherend of said spring closing means; and mechanism for moving said deviceswhereby the tension of said' spring cl'osing means may be regulated,said mechanism comprising rings equal in number to said adjustabledevices and loosely encircling the same, a forl'red lever havingterminals thereof interposed between' said rings whereby the latter arecaused to engage the adjustable devices on movement of said lever, andsprings interconnecting said rings to normally maintain the same out ofengagement with said devices.

4. In an automatic; tensioning apparatus for the spring closing means ofa clutch, in combination, a shaft carrying a clutclrpart providing anabutment for one end of the spring closing means, devices adjustablelon; gitudinally on said shaft and providingan abutment .for the otherend of said spring closing means, and mechanism for moving said deviceswhereby the tension of said p g d sing means ay b eassessed mechanismcomprising rings equalin nuin her to said devices and loosely encirclingthe same respectively, a pivoted lever, a member carried at one, end of.the lever and adapted on movement of the latter to bring said rings intoengagement with said adjustable devices, and means maintainingcoricentric relation between said rings and said adjustable devices. y

.5. In an automatic tensioning apparatus for the spring closing meansfofa clutch, in combination, a shaft carrying clutchfpart providing anabutment for one end of the spring closing means, d'evices adjustablelon gitudinally on said shaft'and providing an abutment for the otherend of said spring closing means, mechanism for moving said devicesalong said shaft to thereby regulate the tension of said spring closingmeans, said mechanism including rings equal in number to said devicesand encircling the same in spaced relation therewith, coacting yokesextending from opposed faces of said rings, a forked lever, and memberspivotally mounted at the forked ends of said lever and housed Withinsaid yokes for moving said rings into engagement with said adjustabledevices on movement of said lever.

6. In an automatic tensioning apparatus for the spring closing means ofa clutch including, in combination, a shaft carrying a clutch partproviding an abutment for one end of said spring closing means, devicesadjustable longitudinally on said shaft and providing an abutment forthe other end of said spring closing means, and mechanism for movingsaid devices to thereby regulate the tension of said spring closingmeans, said mechanism comprising rings encirclin said devices in spacedrelation therewith an provided with coacting yokes, and a forked leverhaving members pivoted thereto and housed Within said yokes, saidmembers moving the rings into engagement with the adjustable devices onmovement of said lever. 7. In an automatic tensioning apparatus for thespring closing means of a clutch including, in combination, a shaftcarrying the clutch part to be closed, an abutment adjustablelongitudinally on said shaft for regulating the tension of said springclosing means, mechanism for moving said abutment comprising ringsencircling the abutment and having spaced relation therewith, and meansfor maintaining concentric relation between the abutment and said rings.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

' EUGENE SCHNEIDER. :Witnesses: ANDRE Mos'rIoKER, LOUIS GARDET.

